Copmuters in Aviation

[YakYak]

Hi there folkes

I'm an undergraduate student curently researching a project entitled: "Computers in Aviation" for a 45 minute presentation.

I'm having difficulty finding online resources (or any resources at all) on this topic. Does anybody have any ideas on where I can find information? The presentation is aimed at non-pilots and non-engineers so does not have to be particularly technical - it just needs to be a broad overview of the concept of computers in aviation and the repercussions within society.

Some ideas include:

The role of computers on the flight deck
Computers in air traffic control
Fly by wire
Computers replacing pilots
etc etc

Any help (at all) would be much appreciated.

Regards

Yakkers :O

[Ascend Charlie]

If yore going to persent somefink on youre copmuter, run a spel chick on it ferst. Or else they mite larf at yew.:confused:

[Cornish Jack]

AC
Pretty obvious what a copmuter is - something to stop the police making a noise..... VERY commendable too! Anything to stop that constant nah-nah when they're late for breakfast/lunch/ whatever. Mind you, I haven't heard/seen too much of the 'blues and twos' while aviating. Do police helicopters have them? Anyway, nice to see the advanced education system is working well. :)

[Bodie]

Hi YakYak.

May I be the first to comment on the immaturity of the last posts. They really werent necessary and of no help to you.

Anyway, as it happens I am studying ATPL groundschool theory with a company called Bristol Groundschool, you may of heard of them. By coincidence I am reading about instrumentation, and the last of the chapters concentrate on the use of computers in the modern cockpit. I suggest you contact Bristol Groundschool www.bristol.gs and ask very nicely if they will let you have some of their notes. They might not let you but you have nothing to loose. Your best contact would be a guy called Alex Whittingham. Almost every wannabe on pprune knows of him.

For further information on flight deck equipment you could look at www.boeing.com or www.airbus.com

Other sources include the civil aviation authority. Their website is excellent and you can download literally hundreds of official documents (for free!) www.caa.co.uk

Also try the National Air Traffic Services www.nats.co.uk for ATC issues.

Some advice from someone that’s been there (I'm a computer science grad 2ys) I wouldn’t bog it down with technical detail. People "get off" on presentations that spout theoretical bull****, this is especially important if your going to be graded on it.

45mins is not really a long time, give it a solid beginning, middle and end and don’t cram it with detail. Inject some humour by dragging some old jokes and anecdotes from www.aviationhumour.co.uk.

Best of luck
Bodie

[YakYak]

Bodie

Thanks very much! Those sites should keep me busy for a few hours.

If you ever find yourself in need of some help with Arabic (fairly topical at the moment) - feel free to email as that's my major subject.

Gotta go - or I'll be late for my job at the copmuter factory.

[PETERJ]

Yakkers

45 minute presentation eh ??... as a retired lecturer I know you've gotta grab them by their attention modes immediately!! I hope you (and others ) take the following in the spirit it was intended .

Computers on flight deck......old timer's comment on the Glass Cockpit....." I can't fly **** no more but my typing speed is up to 80 words per minute "

ATC..........couldn't funtion at all without computers providing you can read the screen and the software is good enough

Fly by wire.........try to ascertain why the "Airbus" is often referred to colloquially as the "Scarebus"

Computers replacing pilots...........yeah ....entirely feasable but would you buy a ticket on one ?.........The Manchester Metro system has guys sitting at attention in the driver's seat when it's all computer controlled....just to reassure the passengers .

Good luck with presentation and salammn aleikoum "!!!!

:O

[SteveSomebody]

If it's not too late for your presentation, try getting hold of a copy of Computer Ethics by Tom Forester & Perry Morrison (Basil Blackwell ISBN 0-631-17242-4). Quite out of date now but has some interesting stuff about aviation (Chapter 5)

Steve

[YakYak]

Thanks Steve.

Just requested it from the main library!

Hope it's a good read

Yakkers

[Belgique]

Also look at these references


Link ONE (http://www.iasa-intl.com/pdf/Belcastropaper1586.pdf) -pdf file (1 mb)

Link TWO (http://www.iasa-intl.com/pdf/JSletter.pdf) - pdf file (56kb)

Link TWO (http://www.iasa-intl.com/pdf/DODE3-2002revB.ppt) -Powerpoint (1 mb)

[Little One]

for ATC systems i did a search on yahoo on cns/atm which gave a whole lot of sites that may or may not help you. Use it don't use it.
Anyway in case you were wondering CNS/ATM means
Comunication, Navigation, Surrveilance/Air Traffic Management

which is the buzz words that all the hevs use constantly.
Just at a glance the raytheon site looks like it has lots of info

www.raytheon.com/products/cnsatm/

[MrNosy]

Hi Yak Yak,

Have a look at this site. It seems to have good, detailed discussions re the role automation may have had in certain accidents.

http://www.rvs.uni-bielefeld.de/publications/Incidents/Main.html